Timer



Jan. 10, 1928. 1,655,803

R. VARLEY TIMER Filed July 1924 mam/70. mal

ATTORNEYS.

Patented J an. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD VARLEY, OF ENGELEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO. VARLEY DUPLEXMAGNET COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TIMER.

Application filed July 3, 1924.

This invention relates to timers for internal combustion engines, andparticularly to those of the type commonly used in Ford automobiles. Inpresent designs of timers a plurality of contacts are arranged in atrackway overwhich' a brush travels for en aging with said contactssuccessively an thereby distributing a current to a plurality of -coilsor spark plugs. There is considerable sparking or arcin between thebrush andth'e contacts at their separation, and this causes pitting andburning of the contacts. 'As the burning and pitting continues, theduration of the engagement between each contact and the brush becomesuncertain and unreliable, and the renewal of the'contacts requires moreskill fthan the ordinary driver possesses. I

An object of this invention is to provide an improved timer with whichany arcing or burning at eajch'contact will occur solely upon partswhich are readily. replaceable by unskilled persons withouttools,w'ithout disconnecting-any of the 'ci-rcuit"iwires', and withoutopeningthd'timei' "casin and which will be relatively simpl'e,"dura leand compact in construction, and relatively inexpensive. A furtherobject is to,provide an improved timer for accomplishing the aboveobjects in which the replaceable parts are-small and exceptionallysimple and inexpensive. Variousother objects and advantages will beapparent from the follow ing description of an embodiment of theinvention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed outhereinafter in claims. I In the accompanying drawing Fig. -1 is a frontelevationof one type of timer, constructed in accordance with theinvention; 1

Fig. 2 is an inside face elevation of the same;' i

"Fig. 3-is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation through a timer of a slightly differenttype which is also constructed in accordance with the invention;

Serial No. 723,919.

. Fig. 5 is a plan of the leaf spring utilized in the timers shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the renewable pins utilized in Figs. 1to 3; and

Fig. 7 is a plan of a washer which is also utilized in Figs. 1 to 3.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to'3, 5,

6' and 7, the illustrated timer shell 1 is molded from suitableinsulating material such as a suitable phenol condensation product. Thisshell has the usual boss 2, by which it is held in position with itsopen edge 3 fitting against apart of the engine and 'over the end ofthe'timer shaft '4l 'A ring 5' of suitable insulating material, such asbone hard fibre, is inserted into and secured within the interior of theshell, so as to serve as a race or trackway; A plurality of metalcontacts 6 are countersunk flush into the inner peripheral surface ofthe'ring s'o'that the'outer surface of the contacts will formsubstantial'continuations of the inner peripheral surface of the ringlEach contactis provided with'a binding post 7 extending outwardlythrough the ring-and shell, and a nut 8 isthreadedu pon the outer endofeach'post and against the shell soas to 'lock each contact within thering. These'contacts are arranged'in' spaced relation around the innerperipheryof the ring as us'ual'intimers. i 5 The brush, which travelsaround the-inner periphery ofthe ring may comprisc a roller 9 pivoted at10 to one end of the lever 11, the lever, inter mediate of its ends,-being pivoted at 12 to'the outer" end of an arm 13 thatiskeyedto thetimer shaft 4 in any suitable manner such'as by a pin 14. The otherendof the lever 11' is connected by a tension spring 15 to an extension orlug 16 carried by the arm 13, so that the springwill constantly urge theroller 9 against the inner periphery of the ring. The rolleris connectedto one side of the circuit and the binding posts are connected tootherparts of the ignition system, so that a circuit will be established eachtime that the roller 9 passes over'a contactduring its rotation.

As the roller leaves each contact there will be a tendency for thecurrent to are or burn and thus pit the contact, and this inventionrelates to a construction by which the pittin; of the contacts will beprevented.

To this end bushings 17 are inserted through the shell and nearlythrough the ring in aradi al direction immediately following eachcontact, considered in the direction of travel ofthe roller, and thering is provided with passages 18. each the diameter of, alignedwith-and"'foi-ni-ing a continuation of the bore of a bushing 17] 'Thebushings, which are preferably of metal, may, if desired, have a flangededge which countersunk into the outer surface of the shell but, sincethe bushings do not pass entirely through the ring, such flanged edgesare not essential. A pn i 19 is slidably mounted in the hereofeachbnshin so as to be projectableinwi rdly through 518 ring and fromits tra cl way surface to. an extent. determined by the position of aflange 20 provided on the pinn ear; itsouter end. The pins 19 may beinademian suitable metal, but preferably of: steel, orlri heat resistantmetal such as the of which electrodes of spai kplugs age made p:

A jleaf spring 21 for each post is provided atone end with a slqt 22 andat theothcr end witliran a' ertnre; 23,;Each spring is secured a-i maing-1 st by l n e at e n 2 to. a nnular perip era -g oo 94 n ro a e-es Wlies slide ama. t e n t The sasushi-sash s r n Presse p n. hontenendptag-pip l9, with t he.eutei; end of tbenia-.. eyn l n e flQ-aiai g t -im ll? aa etare 2.3- Ea rleat spring ther were tee ectxiallyaeonn tfaco to its F rrest ins: ni e i' n se se-te y gn the Bininwandt y th x t p r tad hmhp in a a ns of hcifl ngs 2. 9 h its ushinger.-.t he' shell. The pins a n rcely ,sl de le 4. the u hing at heywill. wer f e ly n o-1 ei inn s positionm in; .which i. they, projectsomew-ha ts from the tra'ckway surface-.O f.; ther ing and A within thepathmf the-brush when The spr ngs, nter nediate of their ends, areibental gh y t a wh n a h d in th =b i 1t1 ig-Trieste h v tress nds m sh sa eped e erth pi s.- :Thfi: n gem nt of e eh.--.p. n. in he pe t 3of; it spring serves-raise tqhold the spring'from disen gagement fromits nut 8 and binding post 7. A washer 25 ispreferabIy placed initiallyover the endof the pin which passes through the ring for a'purpose whichwill appear hereinafter. 1

--5The-:pins are so mountedwith respect to their corresponding contactsthat the brush roller 9,-'prior to its leaving each contact, will engagewith the-corresponding pin 19 and thenremain incontact with thepin foran instant. after leaving engagement with the corresponding contact.Then when the roller leaves the pin, any arcing which may occur will besolely between the roller and the pin. The pin is of course, cammedoutwardly by the roller as the latter moves over it and then forcedinwardly by its Spring.

The shell may be provided with the usual operating arm 26 which issecured thereto in any suitable manner such as by rivets 27, and withthe usual oiling aperture 28 which is. normally closed by a flap 29,confined t0 the operating arm by a leaf spring 30. Nuts 31 may bethreaded upon the outer ends of the birding posts so as to securecircuit wires to the binding, posts and against the nuts 8.

in the nperixticn of such a timer, as the roller brush rotates with thetimer or-eam shaft .4, it will engage successively with the contacts andpins, the engagement with each pin being established prior to thebreaking of the engagement between the roller and the correspondingcontact, the pin being cammed outwardly slightly as the roller passesthere; over. Any arcing that may occur-{will solely between the rollerand pin. After a time, the ends of the pins will be worn 01f or burnedoff, and then the pins may. be re moved, the washers 25 taken ed, andthepins then reinserted into the busliin s, with-the result that theywillagain propel: int the path of the roller, thus serving as new pins.

To remove a pin, it is merely necessary to spring the free end oftheholding spring outwardly to disengage it fronrthe pin,' an.d

then swing. it laterally to uncover the pin,

whereupon thepin may he removed so that the washerinay. be taken .06..After thcpin is reinserted into the bushing,.the leaf .spring may-berotated to cover thepin and snapped over the-projecting end soastoyieldingly IUD hold in its innermost. positiou. Afterthc pins.have-been burned or- \i'orir ofi'; a second time,; they may be removedand, new pinsjn; sewed 1 -It will beobsrvedthat the washers 2,5mayberemovecl or new pins inserted illbut moment. of time by any onewithout-special skilland without tools, and the pins, whielrarc the onlyparts that become-pitted ornn' es th a e n e incl ne": S a thh s ar angerefor -.a timer will'operate for relatively. long-inter.- vals of timewithout requiring the removal or" the timer shell or the attention. oi askilled mechanic. In factgthe attention of a llo skilled mechanic isnever necessary to adjust or repair the timer for the reason that it isan exceptionally siruple oporation to replace the incxpensire pins whichare the only; parts that receive any appreciablewear or depreciation.

InFig. 4, I have illustrated a somewhat similar timer in which the ring32, corresponding to the ring 5, is mounted within a metal shell33',=='being secured therein by a tight fitand by the binding posts 34'of the contacts 35.- whichpass through the shell. The posts 34 may beinsulated from the shell by insulating bushings 36. In the particularembodiment illustrated, only two of the four binding posts are insulatedas usual, but they may all be insulated, if desired. The leaf sprin s37, which are somewhat similar to the springs 21 of the otherembodiment, are secured upon thewbinding posts and fitted over' pins 38which are mounted in the insulating ring 32 for a limited radialmovement. The shell is provided with apertures-33 through which thezpins38 pass, the apertures being larger than the pins to provide thenecessary clearance and prevent short .zeircuiting of the pins by theshell. The pins 38 are of meta-land carry tips 39 of-heat' resistingmetal such 'as-tungsten or the metal 'of which the electrodes of sparkplugs-are made.-s: The-tips 39 may be detachably connected to the-pins38, such as by threadingi them. therein, or 3 by any other This;particular embodiment of 1 the. timer wasioriginallydisclosed :ini'myprior Patent #-1,492,-34O-, .issued=sApril 29th,1924. 'tlhe-operationofthisti'iner. is-the same as in the preceding'embodimenteexeept that thebrusheroller: 40--i's=. carriedr-iby a lever? 41 which isv-n'ormally Ipulled; i away. from the tr'ackw-ayaby .a spring 42/:L'When the -timershaft-.- 4: rotates 1 and; icaiuses i rotation :of: the roller-1 brush;:t-he centrifugal ::1torce; acting uporithei'leveri 5'41: andxthearo'ller 40 will throw. they T011613". outwardly :into? 1 contact with ithe trackway, so that: :it gyvilltlien zen.- gagesuocessivielyz-witlnthe? contacts 35 and the auxiliary contacts? or; pins 387 39373; i

- -In-.boTth. of? the illustrated: embodiments; of the invention, each:.leaf,=s'pringmay "also, -.if desired; he: provided: with i anextension from itsuslotted --end-:; \VhiChQ;IIld.Y-.=bfl utilized: to

yieldingly- 5 hold. a .reserve pin= iin a suitable cavity in the timershell,-although-:this-is optional.;. -f: e;

I- claim'l'ri a; g mme-i. 1 1. In a timer', -;a-ishell havinga-itrackway, a plurality. of "contacts arranged in' spaced relation;:along xthe; trackway; --Ia ;-.brlish movable "alon'g: the:t'rackwayandr: engaging successively witli s'aidncontatsgiaapluralityof pins carriedi the shell f so= as a to project into the path of the.brush-, said: pins being located one adjacent and-spaced from that edgeof each contactiiwhere' th'e brusl-i leaves it, each contact"having abinding post, a spring carried byeach p0st, press1ng the pin,cooperating with; that cont act into the path of the'brush "andalso'electrically connecting the pin and post; whereby a'ny arcing as thebrush leaves each cont'act Wlll occur solely between the-brush and thepins 2. In a timer, a shell having a trackway, aplurality of contactsarranged in spaced relation along the trackway, a plurality of pins alsoarranged along the trackway, one for each contact and all oncorresponding sides of the contacts, each pin being located .in closeproximity to but spaced from and electrically connected to itscorrespondim contact, and a brush movable over said trackway in adirection to engage each contact before its corresponding pin andengaging each pin before moving out of engagement with the crirrcsponding contact whereby any arcing will occur sole-1v between thebrush and pins,- said pins bein detachably supported directly by theshefi to permit of their ready replacement;

3. In a timer, a shell having a trackway, a plurality of contactsarranged in spaced relation along the trackway, a plurality of pins Tpassing through the shell and also arranged along the trackway, one foreach contact, and mounted for projection outwardly from the surfacethereof, said pins being arranged upon corresponding sides of thecontacts and in close proximity thereto, springs connected to the outerends of the pins-for urging the pins outwardlyfrom the face of thetraekway and connected to .thecontacts, and a brush movable along thetrackway to engage successively with: the contacts and IRS. p 4. Inatimer, a shell having a trackway, a plurality of contacts arranged inspaced relat ion along thetrackway,'a plurality ofpins I also=arrangedalong the trackway, 'o'n'effor each contact, and mounted 'for'projectionoutwardly from the surface-thereof, said pm's being arranged =uponcorresponding sidesgof the' conta'cts and 'in 'clos e proximitythereto,

said contactshavin-g external bindingposts, a leaf spring clamped n 70Deachfpostr and pressing each pin in a-hirection inwardly through the trackway; and a: brush movable with the'contacts and=pinszfi 5.-"In a?timer,-ashell havin'gi-a: trackw'ay, a'plurality of'contacts arranged-iin spaced relation in'tliesurface Qt-the-tr'aCkWay, the

alon the 'trackwav"to en a e succcssi-vely :11,

b h i shelland trackivay surfaceha'ving apertures therethrouglnatcorresponding: ends :ofland in proximity 5 tohut spaced *from 1thewcontacts,f pi ns slidahly mountedin the apertures to project throughthe surface of the trackway means' for :vieldingly urging the pins in'adirection-to project from the t-rackway surface and-connecting each pinto .a-.Col'-. responding-contact, and a brush movable along thetrackwaysurface tojeugagc suclcessively with the contacts and pin-8 1 6.- Ina:t.imer, a shell havingla;trackway,'a plurality ofcontacts arranged -imspaced relation in-the surface ofithe tracl way, the shell and trackwaysurface havingapertures sl idably therethrough at correspondingends ofandinproximity to but spaced from the contacts, p-insslidably mounted inthe apertures to project through. the surface of the trackway, saidpinshaving shoulders engaging with the shell to limit theextent to whichthey may project from the trachway surface, means for yieldingly urgingthe pins in a direction toproject from the traclcway surface andconnecting each pin to a corresponding contact, and a brushmovable alongthe traclrway surface to engage successively with the contacts and pins.

7. In a timer, a shell having a t-rackway, a. plurality of contactsarranged in spaced relation in the surface of the trackway, the shelland: trackway surface having apertures the-rethrough at correspondingends of and in proximity to but spaced from the contacts, bushingsfitted in said apertures, pins slidabl-y mounted in the bushingstoproject. through the surface of the trackway, means for yieldingly'urging the pins in a, direction to project-from: the trackway surfaceand connecting each pin to a corresponding con:- tact, and a brushmovable along the traclv way surface to engage successively with thecontacts and. pins.

8. Ina timer, a shell having a trackway, a plurality of contactsarranged in spaced relation in: the surface of the trackway, the shelland trackway surface having apertures therethrough at corresponding endsof and in proximity to but spaced from the contacts, bushings fitted insaid apertures, pins mounted in the-bushings to: project through thesurface of the trackway and having shoulders engaging with saidbushingsfto limit: the extent. thatfthe inner ends may projectfrom thesurface of the .traclrway, means for yieldin-glyurging the pins in adirection to project from the traekwaysurs face-and connecting each pin'to a corresponding. contact, a and. a brush movable along" the. trackwaysurface toengage sac,- cessively with tllBsCOlltfiQfS and-pins 9-; In atimer, a shellhaving a trackway, a plurality of contacts. arranged in.spaced relation in the surface.of-athetrack ay, the

shellaxrd trackway surface-having apertures therthrough at correspondingends of and in prokinr'rty' to but spacedfrornithe contact- 3, pinsslidably mounted'in:theapertures tin-project through the surface of thetrackway, means for yieldingly urging-the pins in a direction to projectfrom the trac-kwa-y surface and connecting each pin to a correspondingcontact, said pins being. separate from the said means whereby the pinscan be readily replaced at will, and a brush movable along the trackwaysurface to engage successively with the contacts-andpinsf 10. In atimer, a shell having a track-way, a plurality of contacts arranged inspaced relation in the surface of the trackway, the

shell and trackway.surfacehaving apertures therethrough at correspondingends of and in proximity to but spaced from the contacts, pins slidablymounted in the apertures to project through the surface of the trackway,each contact having a binding post, a metal leaf spring clamped on eachpost and pressing at its free end upon a corresponding pin to urge thelatter in a direction to project from the trackway surface. and a brushmovable alongthe trackway surface to engage successively with saidcontacts and pins.

11. In a timer, a shell having a trackway, a pluralitv of contactsarranged in spaced relation in the surface of the trackway, the shelland trackway surface having apertures therethrough at corresponding endsof and in proximity to but spaced from the contacts, pins slid-ablymounted in the apertures to project through the surface of the trackway,each contact having a binding post, ametal leaf spring having a-slottedand embracing each binding post and clamped thereon, each spring at itsfree end pressing upon a corresponding pin; to urge the latter in adirection to project from the trackway surface, and abrush movable alongthe trackway surface to engage successively with saidcontacts and pins.a

12. In a timer, a shell-of phenolic condensation material having atrackway, a plurality of contactsfarranged in spaced relation in thesurface of the 'trackway, the shell and vtrackway surface havingapertures therethrough' at corresponding ends of and in proximity to butspaced from the contacts, bushings fitted in said apertures, pinsslidably mounted in the bushings to project througlf'tl-ic surface ofthe trackway, means foryieldingly urging the pins in aflirection to project from the: tmclrway surface and connecting each pin to a correspondincont-act'and a brush movable along thejrackway-surface to engagesuccessively with'the contacts and pins. 4

13. In a timer, a. shell of phenolio condensation material having atrackwa'yj a plurality of contactsarranged in spaced relation in.thesurface of -the traclrwayg the shell and trackway surface-havingapertures therethrough at corresponding endsof and in proximity-to butspaced from the contacts, metal-bushings fitted-=iin said apertures.bins slidablymounted in the bushings to. projectthrough the surface: ofthe track'- way, means, for yieldingly urging the pins. in adirection toproject from the trachway surface and connecting; each --pin to acorresponding contact, and a brush movablealong thetrackway surface toengage successively with the contacts and pins. 2

14. In a timer, a shell having-a trackway, a-pluralit-y of contactsarranged-in spaced relation along the trackway, a. plurality of pinspassing through the shell and also arranged alon the trackway of eachcontact and mounte for projection outwardly from the surface thereof,said pins being arranged on corresponding sides of the contacts and inclose proximity thereto, a spring external of the shell connected to theouter ends of the pins and to the adjacent contacts for the trackway,and a brush movable along the 10 trackway to engage successively withthe contacts and pins.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my signature.

RICHARD VARLE Y.

